She chuckled a little. “Don’t be absurd.”
“When Goshen is cured of the fever, we won’t have to fight the Vipers for BT76 anymore. There won’t be much use for me. I’m not a skilled technician nor a farmer. And I’m certainly no Kobyashi.”
“Thank the Lord for that,” Dr. Horner said with a hearty laugh.
From tears to cheer, he thought. Score one for me.
Once her hands steadied after laughing, she stuck him with the needle. Collin barely even noticed the slight prick in his arm anymore. He’d become so accustomed to it that he didn’t give it a second thought. Then it was a matter of waiting for his blood to fill up the bag that she attached to the end of a small rubber tube that attached to the needle.
He eyed the cupboard, knowing there was a stash of juice waiting for him. Julie must have noticed because a few moments later, Collin was lying on the bed sipping orange juice and thinking over the rest of his day. After he checked on the construction of the wall, he was going to go to Koby’s house for dinner.
“Would you like to join Koby and I for dinner?” He was sure Koby wouldn’t mind.
“Thank you but no. I have too much work to do.”
“Too much work to eat? Come on now, doc. You have to take care of yourself,” he said.
“The kitchen staff are kind enough to deliver food to me,” Dr. Horner said. “They’ve been great about supporting me during my research.”
“That’s good to hear,” he said skeptically. “I guess I don’t have to worry about coming upon your desiccated corpse next time I come in. Seriously though, make sure you take at least a few, short breaks to give your brain a rest.”
“How’s Koby holding up?”
He sighed at her redirection. “He took Doris’ passing harder than I would have imagined. I think they were much closer than he let on.”
She didn’t say anything.
“Like I said, I’ll be joining him for dinner tonight. We’ll see how that goes. I think it helps him to have something to focus on, keep his mind busy. Maybe we should come up with a big electronics project for him?”
“That would be nice,” Dr. Horner said. She cleared her throat and glanced at him, then turned toward the cabinets and rummaged around. “Any word...from...”
“Nothing yet,” Collin said softly. “But I’ll be going over a plan with Pastor Pendell if we don’t receive word soon.”
With the Eagles still missing, it meant they ran into significant problems. They might just be evading the Vipers, but if that was the case, he figured they could just book it home. It’s not like the Vipers didn’t already know where they lived. He worried about the new Eagles they trained. They were so fresh and untested in actual battle that it was hard to know how they would react. He just hoped Major Logan could hold them together against whatever obstacles they faced.
Minutes passed without any conversation. So he closed his eyes and just enjoyed his juice.
If he was lucky, another memory would come to him.
Lost in thought, Collin wasn’t expecting the doctor to rip the tape holding the needle in place in his vein. Little hairs in the crook of his arm were yanked from their follicles sending a small jolt up his arm.
“Done already?” he asked, not bothering to open his eyes. He rubbed his skin to dull the pain.
“All done. Thank you again for agreeing to help me and for being such a great patient...”
“Patient?”
“And friend,” Julie said, her smile apparent in her tone.
Collin smiled and sat up just a little. Julie handed him a cotton ball that he pressed to the needle hole in his arm. He bent his arm to hold it in place and leaned back. He noticed that she placed several boxes of juice on the nightstand beside his bed.
He helped himself to another one.
He adjusted his position on the bed. Dr. Horner patted him on the shoulder and smiled.
“I wish it had been you leading the raid. I’d feel more comfortable with you in charge,” Dr. Horner said.
“Everything will work out, Julie. We’ll get Anna back unharmed. I’m sure of it,” he said.
She gave him another quick pat and turned away. When she reached the door, she looked back and said, “Rest easy. You’ll need a few minutes for the sugar to kick in. And I’m quite certain that I won’t need to draw any more blood.”
“Great news then,” Collin said, grinning.
“Thank you,” she said. “For everything.”
“Come on, doc. You’re the one doing all the hard work.”
“Seriously. Thank you.” Then she walked out of the room. The door clicked closed behind her.
Collin leaned back onto the bed and relaxed. He got the feeling that Julie Horner was probably one of the people in town that he could actually trust. Despite what Anna told him in the hallway, he trusted Dr. Horner.
He sighed and closed his eyes. The hospital was quiet, he was probably the only patient in the entire building at that point. There were no more infected citizens still alive.
Lying on the bed, Collin’s thoughts wandered to his family. He’d pretty much figured out that Pastor Pendell was full of crap. He knew nothing about his family. He still wanted to find them, if they were alive.
He almost nodded off and realized that he was lying in bed for almost an hour. He sat up, grabbed another juice box, jammed the straw in for a long drink that quickly drained it. Testing his condition, Collin stood up carefully and picked up the last juice box.
For the road.
Satisfied that he could walk without fainting from blood loss, he made his way out of the hospital. There was no sign of Dr. Horner but he figured that was a good thing. She was probably hard at work, tweaking the treatment.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The sky overhead was a tangle of orange and blue as the setting sun passed behind the mountains. Long shadows crossed Collin’s path as he hurried along the gravel road to Kobyashi’s house.
His stomach growled. Before it registered with his brain, his belly noticed the scent of food on the air. Collin pulled in a deep breath.
Grilled meat.
“Oh that’s good,” he said as he walked up the path from the sidewalk to the front door. Collin rapped his knuckles against the door several times and stood there waiting for Koby to answer.
“Come in,” said Koby’s muffled voice through the closed door.
Collin entered the house. “Hey buddy, you need a hand?”
“Don’t try to get fresh with me buddy,” Koby said from the kitchen. “We’re going outside to eat. I grilled up some steak.”
“I could smell it on my way over,” Collin walked into the kitchen where Koby was busy prepping some vegetables for a salad.
His friend looked up and smiled briefly. “Go on out, I’ll be right there.”
“Okay.”
“How’d the hospital visit go?”
“You know how it is. She took a lot of blood and I sipped my juice. So, the usual,” Collin said, standing in the sliding doorway leading to the backyard porch. “The good news is that I probably won’t have to go back again.”
He left the door open and sat down in his usual spot.
“We can only hope,” Koby said.
Collin nodded and poured himself a jar full of beer to go with his meal. Unlike the coffee, Koby kept his beer brewing private. Collin felt lucky that he’d been let in on the secret because it was going to pair nicely with the steak. His mouth watered in anticipation.
A bowl of mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and cobs of corn, sat on the table next to the bottle of homebrewed beer.
“It smells so good out here, man.”
“Go ahead and dish up,” Koby said. “I’m just finishing up the salad.”
Collin didn’t need to be told twice. He dished up mashed potatoes, a roll to help soak up the delicious brown gravy, and a cob of corn. By the time Koby emerged with the salad, Collin had already cleaned off his plate and was piling on more.
“Are you kidding me?” he shot back. Koby set down the bowl of salad and went back into the kitchen without a word. He came out with a covered platter. He set it down and removed the curved lid, with a flourish like a cartoon waiter. Inside were two giant steaks atop a bed of potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. “The meat has to rest before you cut into it.”
“Wow, you really outdid yourself,” Collin said, staring at the food with wide eyes. “I bet no one would imagine you could eat this good in the end times.”
Koby smiled. “Thanks.”
They ate and caught up on news and the minor issues of daily life.
“Progress on the wall is coming along nicely. I think it should be finished soon. I’ll be happy when it is,” Koby said.
“Everyone is looking forward to the completion of the wall. Especially since it’ll free the guys up to get back to their work assignments.”
Koby looked at him skeptically.
“And the town will have another layer of protection against the Vipers,” he quickly added.
Koby nodded and took a bite of salad.
“Any other plans tonight?” Koby asked.
“Just a meeting with Pastor Pendell and I’ll probably do another round to check on the Eagles,” he said. “I should probably go see the wall too. I didn’t pay attention on the walk over. My mind was on Logan and the CAW.”
“Any word?”
“Nothing.”
“Jesus,” Koby said with a low whistle. “It’s been too long.”
“I agree and that’s what I’m going to discuss with Pendell.”
“Have fun with that.” Koby smirked. “I’m glad I’m just the assistant.”
“Yup, it frees you up to fix things like those power bumps.”
Koby groaned. “That’s old news. Done and done, man. Get with the times.”
Collin laughed then dug into another mound of mashed potatoes with a piece of steak skewered on his fork.
Before long the two of them had cleaned off their plates and all the food on the table.
“That was a great meal,” Collin said, leaning back in his chair. He threw a quick two-finger salute and reached for his drink.
“Thanks. You’re always welcome to come over,” Koby said. He raised his glass to cheers with Collin.
With a clink of their pints, they drank. Collin emptied his but didn’t pour another. Pastor Pendell wouldn’t be pleased if Collin showed up buzzed.
“Let me help you clean up before I jet off to my meeting with the old man,” he said.
“No need to help. I find cleaning up to be almost as relaxing as cooking,” Koby said. “Seriously. Go to your meeting.”
“Someday you’ll make a good wife,” Collin joked.
Koby looked at him briefly and took another drink.
“Are you sure?” Collin felt odd leaving like that, but Koby looked serious.
“Yeah, man. Don’t worry about it. I appreciate the busy work.” Koby stared into his glass as he swirled the beer around.
Collin knew what he meant. “Okay. How about I cook tomorrow?”
Koby drank his beer and nodded at Collin, with a little wave. “Tomorrow then.”
Collin looked at his friend for a moment longer unsure what to say or do. Then he turned and left.
Collin eased the door closed as he left before he jogged down the stairs and walked quickly across the yard toward the church where he was meant to meet Pastor Pendell.
On his way to the church, Collin detoured toward the bridge. Even in the fading light, people were working on the wall. The logs were massively thick and at least twelve feet tall. The lumber mill Koby directed them too had paid off big time. Next time the Vipers tried to slither into town, they would have a big problem.
Above the bridge, the craftsmen were securing a beam, connecting the section of wall that went downstream to the section of wall that was upstream. The plan was to have a small Eagle’s nest above the bridge for defense.
Collin smiled and shouted, “Great work everyone.” He spread his arms, gesturing at the wall. “This is fantastic.”
One of the carpenters approached Collin. “We’re making good progress, sir.”
“Looks like it. The main work is nearly complete from what I’ve heard.”
“That’s right. We have about three hundred feet to go on the East bank before we can return some of the workers to their respective duties. Then our group will outfit the wall with a walkway and a few more Eagle’s Nests,” he said, pointing to either side of the bridge and finally up at the first log spanning the bridge, indicating the locations of the planned guard towers.
“Excellent. Keep up the great work and let me know if you need anything,” Collin said. He patted the man on the back and looked back at the wall.
The structure was a formidable barrier against the Vipers. It was important to Collin, to Goshen’s defense, but more importantly, it was soothing to the townsfolk.
One thing he had learned and understood from all of the great military minds, from Sherman to Sun Tzu, Alexander to Patton, or Machiavelli to Hannibal was that they had to make the townsfolk feel as though they were safe, and protected.
With the recent attacks, especially the bombing of the Eagle’s Bar, the enemy sowed doubt among the citizens about the Council’s ability to keep them safe. That was a slippery slope and one that all military leaders understood they had to defend against. Constructing a wall was as much a physical defense as it was a mental defense.
Satisfied with the work, Collin bid farewell to the crew and continued along the main street toward the church. The houses still practiced the same light discipline they had during his first night in Goshen, but outside people walked around and a few of them carried either torches or flashlights. Seeing the clash of old and modern, not to mention the construction of a defensive wall made of logs, made him realize just how odd his life was now.
People took notice of him as he walked down the street. Collin greeted and waved at them. Most smiled and waved back. Word had reached Collin that some people were grumbling about him, saying that he had something to do with the current state of affairs in Goshen. He hoped there would be an opportunity to allay those unfounded fears.
Pastor Pendell told him to meet in front of the church, but Collin didn’t see him anywhere. He walked up the stairs and sat down, leaning against the carved stone railing. He looked down at his watch and pressed the button for the light. Luminescent blue digits glowed in the dark as he watched lights move around the town. The pastor should be there any minute.
The last rays of light glowed behind the mountains in the west, silhouetting them. Down in the valley, it was already quite dark. The one exception was the area where the construction team worked. Several small torches cast a glow against the tall logs that made up the wall.
Collin heard footsteps and saw a dark form moving through the darkness toward him. The shape of the shadow and the cadence of his footsteps suggested it was Pastor Pendell.
“I’m glad you made it, Collin,” the pastor said, his voice sounding loud in the darkness though it was at a normal conversational volume.
“You too, pastor,” he said.
“Any word on our boys?”
Collin didn’t mention the fact that the Eagles weren’t all men, there were several women among the Combat Action Wing. He simply said, “No.”
Pastor Pendell grunted. He stopped at the bottom of the steps and leaned against the railing.
“The wall is coming along nicely. Hank says it should be finished soon,” Collin said. He gestured at the bridge even though the pastor probably couldn’t see him in the darkness. “They’re finishing up the section above the bridge. Later on they’ll build it out to be another Eagle’s Nest.”
“Your idea?”
“Actually, no. I think one of the carpenters came up with it.”
“How is security?”
“Well, we�
�ve had no contact with Vipers. Nothing else noteworthy has happened,” Collin said. “We are vulnerable while the wall is under construction because we have so few Eagles left. But, nothing new there.”
“Very well. I trust God will watch over us.”
Collin snickered.
“Do not doubt the Lord, Collin,” Pastor Pendell said in a serious tone.
He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “When the wall is complete, if we still haven’t heard from Major Logan, I am going to put together a small strike force to go look for them.”
Pastor Pendell slapped his hand against the stone railing. “Absolutely not. I will not have this town’s defense weakened even more.”
“Pastor-”
“We will be attacked again. It’s not a matter of if, but when, and we will not be caught off guard,” Pastor Pendell said.
“That won’t happen. If need be, we can arm more of the citizens. Our town has two massive advantages: technology and defenses. Just the snipers alone will keep the majority of the Vipers at bay. With the river and the addition of the wall, the Vipers would be hard pressed to do much to us. Even with explosives.”
“You are right about our strengths,” Pastor Pendell said. “But if you take out a strike force, then both of those will be weakened. If the larger Combat Action Wing was overpowered, what makes you think you can do more with less? If you don’t come back, who would lead the remaining Eagles? You’re not thinking clearly.”
“I have built you a fortress and I can build more defenses to bolster what we already have.”
“You have built nothing.” Pastor Pendell swept an arm, showcasing the town. “None of this. You simply woke up in a kingdom that’s been provided to you.”
Collin sighed and his shoulders slumped just a little. “But we can’t just hide behind the wall,” he said. “Fear will not save us.”
“No, God will.”
Collin rolled his eyes so hard, he was thankful it was dark outside.
Pastor Pendell activated the light on his watch and grunted. “It’s nearly time for Bible study, so that concludes our meeting. You will not take a strike force, or any Eagles, outside of Goshen without my express permission. Are we clear on that point?”
Praying for War: The Collin War Chronicles Page 27